The study of biology has changed substantially in the 21st century. Fifty years ago, texts in the life sciences focused primarily on the structures and features of different types of organisms. Today, however, much of current technology and news is about cellular and molecular biology, and thus a Life Science text that is relevant for today’s students must contain a balance of content addressing important large-scale topics and key micro-scale topics, treated at an appropriate level.

Novare's Life Science text maintains exactly this balance. Large scale topics include organ systems, animal and plant reproduction, genetics, and inheritance of traits. Micro-scale topics include cellular respiration, photosynthesis, mitosis, meiosis, and sensory systems. Additionally, there are four crucial chapters treating the energy, populations, nutrient cycles, and biomes of ecosystems. The two final chapters provide introductions to evolutionary theory and the variation of traits.

Life Science, by Tracy Creek, is designed for 6th grade and may be successfully used in any of grades 6, 7, or 8. The mathematics in Life Science is minimal, making the text a good fit for 6th grade.